Bare
by lookingforthestars
Summary: "Buckle up, nerd."


**It's been a minute since I've written some smut. But that finale…you know what? I don't even care that they didn't show more. Waige is together and we can spend all summer smiling about that (I know I will). Review please and thank you! All fics take a lot of time to write, but smut is a particular kind of beast.**

They wouldn't accomplish anything at this distance.

But even as Walter's brain reminded him of that logical fact, he found himself unable to move, because the woman he loved was standing in his loft wearing a smirk and a shirt that barely did its job. She looked like a dream and if he tried to touch her, he was afraid she might vanish.

Sensing that the genius wouldn't be coming to her, Paige walked slowly toward the kitchen, the hem of her single garment sliding mesmerizingly up and down her exposed thighs. Walter felt confident that she was inviting his perusal, given her state of undress, but he was having trouble choosing a spot with so much new territory available to study. She reached for the bottle in his hands, that first brush of contact sending a jolt through him, and set it on the counter next to the corkscrew. "Hey," she said, her voice low.

Walter swallowed. "H-Hey." He wanted to tell her how incredible she looked, but he suddenly couldn't…remember…any appropriate words. His blatantly appreciative gaze must have sufficed, because Paige just stepped closer, sliding her arms around his neck and settling her weight against him. He started to hate the layers of fabric separating them, barring him from the sensation of her bare skin on his. But perhaps it was for the best. Walter was already feeling lightheaded and he'd hardly even touched her yet.

His hands rested on her back, curling slightly into her shirt. Paige smiled up at him. He never, ever got tired of seeing her smile, especially when it was directed toward him. Her happiness was strangely intoxicating. "Walter." He was getting a little distracted by her lotion, that lovely lavender scent that seemed to be stamped onto her skin, but she was talking and it was rude not to pay attention. "I picked up condoms. So we'll be protected. But I want…" Her hands dropped to his chest and she lowered her eyes with them. "I'm being pretty obvious about what I want. But I'm open to going as far as you're ready to go. I just want to be here with you. And I won't be disappointed if you need to stop at any time. Okay?"

It took Walter a few seconds to process her words in the midst of all the other stimuli. Though he'd never discussed his previous experience, she was safe in assuming that there wasn't much, and certainly nothing that could be considered successful. He would be a colossal idiot to turn down the beautiful, half-naked woman practically throwing herself at him despite his utter lack of seduction skills, and yet she would understand if this was all too much, if what she was asking for exceeded what he was capable of offering. His heart thumped almost painfully with that knowledge.

"I love you," he blurted, because that was the singular thought in his head and it needed to come out. Walter exhaled, marveling at his lack of filter when it came to his feelings for Paige. He'd shoved them down for too long and now they were all just bubbling up in this uncontrollable fountain of borderline nonsense.

But they were in private, _finally_ , and Paige welcomed the sentiment. "I love you too," she whispered as she drifted her fingers across the base of his neck, causing him to tense in a way that he hoped wouldn't make her think he was uncomfortable. He wondered if there would ever be a day that hearing those words from her didn't rattle him so deeply.

"I-I want to do this. E-Everything," he assured her, earning a sigh from Paige that sounded almost relieved. "But this is all, uh…d-different. I'll try to communicate if I'm overwhelmed."

"Good." She pressed herself even tighter to him, her fingers clutching his collar as she brushed her lips over his. Walter responded without hesitation, cradling the back of her head to deepen the kiss. He wanted her to know that he wasn't afraid of this. Not since the night he realized, with stunning clarity and genuinely terrible timing, that Paige Dineen was it for him. Whatever fears she'd battled in the past were clearly gone as well, as she melted against him and whimpered into his mouth. He was pleased by her responsiveness, but not surprised. Paige had expressed that she was tightly wound— _pent up,_ in her words—and he groaned at the memory of how close her teasing brought him to taking her right there in that cave.

He almost couldn't believe that she stayed. He would have understood if all Paige wanted, after that much forced _togetherness_ , was to lock herself in her apartment and sleep in her own bed. Alone. But it was their first night back and she wanted to be in his bed instead, the place he'd dreamed for years about watching her come apart and the ideal location to make that a reality.

Paige's fingers trembled as she attacked the buttons on his shirt, releasing them out of order and letting out a frustrated noise when she tried to pull it open and realized she'd missed one. A dizzying mixture of lust, adrenaline, and adoration hit Walter and he grudgingly tore his lips from hers to see what he was doing as he wiggled the last button loose. She pushed the garment off his shoulders and immediately went for the hem of his undershirt, their hands working together to yank it over his head. Even though they hadn't made a dent in her clothing, Paige's chest was still adequately exposed and she sighed loudly against Walter's lips as her heated skin met his.

Walter's eyes slipped shut and he reminded himself to breathe. He'd always been addicted to Paige's touch—her hand on his shoulder, on his face, tangled with his own. But this was an entirely new sensation, a level of intimacy they had never previously allowed themselves, and it sucked the air from his lungs. At this rate, he was going to pass out before they got very far. She kissed him again, slower this time, clearly savoring the contact as much as he was.

"I love you," she murmured. Paige was an affectionate person, both physically and verbally. He had no doubt that she would say it often. It struck him how unbelievable it still was, that she could feel that way, and yet he believed her because he could feel that love in everything she did. Walter wanted to do that too, to make his love and trust and need for Paige something that she never had to question.

The genius gripped her hips to tug her closer, knowing he wouldn't be satisfied as long as her shirt was in the way but unwilling to break their embrace to remove it. Especially not with her tongue teasing and stroking his like that. He'd heard that people sometimes felt _weak in the knees_ when they were physically attracted to someone, which seemed much more preposterous to Walter until he realized that his own legs were threatening to give out.

"Paige," he grunted. "Can…c-can we…"

"Bed?" the liaison asked breathlessly, reading his mind as she was embarrassingly capable of doing. He nodded. Fortunately for both of them, Paige was an excellent multitasker, and her lips stayed firmly planted on his as she walked the straight line backward to his mattress. They were forced to separate as Paige urged him down to sit on the edge, gripping his shoulders for balance as she lowered her knees on either side of his legs and straddled him. "Is this okay?"

"Yes." Despite his limited experience, Walter knew this would be a difficult position for intercourse. They would have to readjust later. But she had guessed—rightly—that sitting up would give him a greater sense of control than laying flat on his back. He trusted Paige. He was actually surprised how comfortable he felt being shirtless around her, his usual self-consciousness and vulnerability greatly diminished, but relinquishing power was a gradual process and he wasn't quite there yet.

Besides, this angle gave him excellent access to areas of Paige that he had yet to explore. Walter did nothing without a sense of purpose, and he focused carefully on her reactions as his mouth dipped lower: a groan when he tentatively brushed his tongue against her neck. A sigh of his name when he moved her shirt aside to kiss her shoulder. Nails digging in as he closed his lips and sucked lightly.

"Oh god." Her eyes were firmly closed, but they snapped open when he stopped and pulled back to look at her. "Walter?"

The concern was evident in her voice. He smiled, stroking the top button on her shirt—well, the top one that was closed, which was actually the fifth. "May I?"

Paige swallowed, her eyes darkening. He slowly pushed at each button, letting the shirt fall open. Walter barely had time to process that before she took over, tugging the sleeves down her wrists and dropping the whole thing to the floor.

The genius released a sharp breath. His imagination had been wholly deficient in this regard. The brief glimpses he'd gotten at the hot springs—inevitable, though he tried to remain respectful and avert his eyes—hinted at it, but the full view defied description. "God, Paige."

He wasn't doing a very good job of expressing how beautiful she was. All of his nicknames seemed horribly insufficient. But Paige broke into a soft grin, clearly flattered anyway. "Thank you," she murmured before leaning forward to kiss him.

Walter wrapped his arms around her, drawing her closer, shivering when she was pressed soundly against him. She was warm, and soft, a safe place he didn't even realize he'd been searching for. Paige had already gotten past his mental and emotional barriers, becoming so much a part of him that he didn't know where he ended and she started. This felt like the physical embodiment of what she had already accomplished in every other aspect of his life.

She rocked slowly against him, almost experimentally, stilling when he sucked in a breath. "No." He shook his head, knowing how cautious she was being and wishing she didn't have to. "T-That's good."

"Okay," Paige whispered, repeating the action a little more firmly. Her range of motion was limited by his tight grip on her and he loosened his arms, keeping his hands on her back but allowing her more freedom to move. Walter could feel her heat even through his remaining clothing and his body responded readily as she continued to grind on him. An agitated noise escaped her lips and caused her to flush. "Oh god, Walter."

She'd been going slow for his benefit, that much was obvious, but she needed more. He felt a combination of guilt, because he hadn't picked up on it sooner, and pride that she desired him so intensely. "Do you…" He trailed his fingers up and down the outside of her thigh, unsure how to phrase his offer. "Do you want me to…"

Paige exhaled shakily. "I think…I think I just need you right now."

Later, he was sure that she would welcome his fingers or his tongue—he wasn't well-versed in those talents, but he was eager to learn. But even though they'd only been together for three weeks, they had been playing at this for the better part of three years and Walter was equally eager to feel her around him. "Okay."

Her fingers came up to rake through his hair. "Don't be nervous." She had to swallow to soften the edge in her own voice. "I'll take care of you."

Walter frowned. "I-I want to take care of you."

Paige smiled indulgently, like she'd expected his exact response. "You always do. But I just mean…I don't want you to get stuck in your head. I want to take the pressure off. Let me lead this time."

"Oh." The genius couldn't deny that he feared disappointing her. Perhaps it would be prudent to follow her cues until he could learn what she liked. "O-Okay."

"Nude up, genius boy," she said with a smirk and Walter had to suppress another groan. She lifted herself off of him, helping him stand so he could shed his pants and boxers. The cool air in his loft was a relief on his burning skin, but now there was nothing left to hide behind.

He dismissed the thought. He didn't have to hide from her. She certainly wasn't hiding from him.

"Lay down." Walter lowered back, scooting to get comfortable. He'd never considered the need for a larger bed—it seemed like a waste, considering he slept no more than five hours a night—but when Paige climbed on top of him again, he became suddenly aware of how little space it had for two people. He vowed immediately to upgrade to a larger mattress so that Paige would feel comfortable sleeping next to him. "Are you ready?"

If she meant physically, then god, yes, he didn't think he'd ever been so wound in his life. And if she was referring to his mental preparedness, he wanted to inform her that he had craved intimacy with her since the night they danced together at the gala. Either way…"Yes."

Paige reached for the box she'd left on his bedside table, retrieving a silver package and ripping the corner of it with her teeth. Checking with him again for permission, which he granted with a nod, she rolled the condom on and Walter gripped the sheets to stop his hips from jerking involuntarily. He kept the sheets between his fingers as Paige positioned herself above him, sinking down halfway and tensing. "I'm okay," she said before he could ask. "I need time to adjust so just…just give me a second."

He hated seeing her in distress. "What can I do?"

She shook her head, her hair spilling in front of her shoulders. "I've got it." Paige lifted up slightly before lowering again, her body visibly relaxing when she'd taken him in completely after a few thrusts. "Oh god, Walter." She bent down, cupping his face with her hand as she kissed him. "Oh my god."

The genius didn't have to ask what she meant. He'd been too distracted by her discomfort to enjoy that first moment of contact, but now that he knew she was okay, the sensation was catching up to him rapidly. He was coated in her arousal and she felt like she was made for him. Maybe she was. Walter was willing to admit—partially thanks to Paige—that he didn't know everything. It was entirely possible that whatever force pushed them into each other's paths was more than chance. He found it difficult, actually, to believe that mere coincidence led him to meet her, given the immeasurable impact she and Ralph had on his life.

Paige started to move, bracing herself with one hand on the bed while the other tangled in his hair. They were close enough to the same height that she could continue touching her lips to his as she circled her hips, letting out a quiet whimper. He kept his hands on her hips to stabilize her, analyzing her movements in the back of his mind until she fell into a rhythm that he could match. Walter thrust up to meet her, satisfaction and lust surging through him when her eyes slipped shut and she moaned.

The tension was building in his spine, just the feeling of being inside her enough to bring him over, and he breathed a sigh of relief when Paige's muscles fluttered around him. It had only been a few minutes, but they were both close and he wanted to see her face when she finished. "Paige." He patted the bed awkwardly, hoping that she would understand, grateful when she did and allowed him to roll them over. She had to shuffle slightly to get back onto the center of the small mattress and she giggled, giving him an affectionate look that drove him straight to the edge.

Walter choked out her name, her smile morphing into a gasp as he pushed into her again, bringing her quickly back to where she was before. They'd waited so long for this, he wished he could make it last, but frankly it was a miracle he had any amount of control over his body when Paige was making those sounds. He would devote the rest of the night, and his extensive knowledge of physiology, to making her orgasm if she wanted but he couldn't hold out any longer.

He didn't have to. Paige arched her back, her nails sinking into the base of Walter's neck as she trembled beneath him. The feel of her tightening around him was too much and he buried his head in her shoulder before he came apart, his hips pressed firmly against hers as he stilled. "Oh my god," she breathed, wrapping her arms around him to keep him in place. "I love you."

Walter couldn't think straight enough to answer. He'd expected it to be intense—the emotions he encountered for the first time with Paige often were—but he didn't think anything could have prepared him for _that_.

His arms were too weak to support his weight and he dropped onto his back, running his palms over his face. Paige rolled to her side, propping herself up on her elbow and rubbing his bicep with her free hand. "Are you okay?"

The genius looked up at her, confused by the worry in her voice, realizing belatedly that she'd taken his silence as a sign that something was wrong. Walter tugged her to him and she rested her head on his shoulder, her arm draping over his stomach. Now that his mind was clearer, the urge to hold her was nearly overwhelming. "I-I'm not…sure…how to express what I'm feeling. But it's all…good."

He saw Paige smile in his peripheral vision. "Good. It felt really good for me too." Walter was pleased by that information. All he wanted to do from now until the day he died was make Paige feel good. She squinted, craning to look at something. "Oh god, I'm so sorry."

Walter flinched as her fingers traced the scratches she'd left on his neck. The chemicals that had flooded his body after release must have kept him from feeling the sting earlier. "It's okay."

"It's…" Her cheeks tinged pink and she bit her lip. She was embarrassed. "I forget how strong the feelings can be. And even then, I don't…I don't think…it's ever felt like that. For me."

She already knew he'd never had a _good_ experience, let alone one as incredible as this. And Walter was well aware that he had no special aptitude in this area, though he was committed to improving for her. But their natural chemistry and commitment to each other made it exceptional. "I love you," he murmured, shifting so he could kiss her.

They stayed that way for a few satisfying minutes, basking in the afterglow, before Paige lowered her lips to tease his neck like he'd done to her earlier. "I'm so crazy in love with you, Walter," she murmured when she reached his ear, raking her nails along his scalp and making him shiver.

Trying to figure out why this gorgeous, intelligent woman loved and wanted him so badly was going to break his brain, so Walter filed it away as a mystery for later examination and eased Paige back onto the mattress, hovering over her. Her hair was messy and her lips were swollen and even though it was too early to think about being inside her again, he was by no means done learning her body.

The genius nudged her legs apart with his knee, running one hand along her smooth stomach. "Is this okay?" Her chest rose and fell rapidly as she nodded, lust clouding her eyes again. No woman had ever looked at him that way before and it spurred him into action.

Now that her initial frustration was released, he wanted to take his time. Walter pressed light kisses to her collarbone, tasting the salty and sweet mixture of her skin, traveling downward to run his tongue over her nipple. Her hips jerked underneath him and he used a hand to ease them back down as he continued his exploration. His fingers came up to caress her other breast, thumb circling around and across the hardened tip in time with the motion of his mouth.

"Walter," she whined, her legs trapping his as she tried to press her thighs together. "Please."

He had a feeling it was going to take a lot to keep up with Paige Dineen. It would be one of his more gratifying challenges. Scooting farther down the mattress, Walter dipped his head, tracing a straight line along her center. He knew the basic mechanics of this and trusted that Paige's reactions would fill in the blanks. She moaned almost immediately, reaching up to grasp his pillow, and he did it again, satisfied with her response. On his next pass, he parted her with his tongue, following the same path before circling around her clit.

Less than three minutes later, when Walter was confident that he'd learned which movements brought her the greatest pleasure, her thighs started to shake and he locked his lips around the nerves, creating suction while he flicked his tongue. She gasped, the muscles in her abdomen tensing and her toes curling as she hit her climax. Her hands dropped over her eyes as Walter worked his way back up the bed. "Holy shit."

The genius laughed. He'd only heard her curse a few times, under her breath on particularly difficult cases. He enjoyed this side of her. Walter never felt confident with women, and certainly not in this context. But Paige made it easy. She made everything easier.

He pulled up the bedding that had gotten bunched up by their feet and stretched out next to her, leaving room for her to roll onto him again. It was a good thing he craved the feel of her body against his, since the bed didn't leave much room for any other options. "I like watching you do that," he said as he brushed a strand of hair from her face.

Paige was still breathing heavily, and he could feel heat radiating off her skin. "When we both recover, I'm paying you back," she mumbled.

She'd made it sound like a threat, but Walter was sure any way Paige exacted her revenge would be perfectly fine by him. "Well, we're down Happy and Toby for two weeks, so we've got time."

"Good. Let's just cancel everything and stay here."

Walter wasn't entirely opposed to that idea. "Okay." He kissed the top of her head. "My little vitreous gel."

There was a long silence as Paige tried to decipher the nickname, and then gave up, sighing. "What?"

"Because you make me see stars."

She raised a brow at him before smirking and rolling her eyes. "You're such a dork."


End file.
